Hildelith facts for kids

Ruins of Barking Abbey

Hildelith of Barking, also known as Hildilid or Hildelitha, was an important Christian saint from the 8th century. She lived in Anglo-Saxon England, which was the name for England before the Norman Conquest. She was not originally from England.

We don't know much about her early life. Most of what we know comes from old religious writings called hagiographies. These include the Secgan Manuscript and a book called Life of St Hildelith, written in 1087 by a monk named Goscelin. Hildelith was the leader, or abbess, of a nunnery (a place where nuns live) in Barking, England. She was also a teacher to another saint, Cwenburh of Wimborne, before Cwenburh started her own abbey.

Hildelith's Role as Abbess

Earconwald, a bishop, asked Hildelith to teach his sister, Æthelburh of Barking. Æthelburh was the first abbess of the monastery that Earconwald had started in Barking.

Hildelith later became the abbess herself, taking over from her student Æthelburh. This happened sometime after the year 692. Some records suggest it might have been after 693, when Earconwald died.

Leading Barking Abbey

A famous historian named Bede wrote about Hildelith. He said she led the abbey for a very long time. Bede also mentioned that Hildelith moved the bones of saints into the church of St. Mary. During her time, a blind man was miraculously cured, which was seen as a miracle.

We don't know who became abbess after Hildelith. The next known abbess was Wulfhild, who lived much later, around 940 to 1000 AD. Barking Abbey was special because it was a double monastery. This meant it had both monks and nuns living there, but they lived in separate areas.

When Did Hildelith Die?

The exact date of Hildelith's death is not clear. Bede said she lived to be very old and ruled for many years. Historian Katie Bugyis believes Hildelith died sometime after 686.

A letter from Saint Boniface to Eadburga, another abbess, in 716, mentions Hildelith. Boniface said Hildelith was the original source for a story he knew. However, the letter does not say if Hildelith was still alive or had already passed away.

Hildelith's Burial Place

Hildelith was abbess until around 700 AD and might have died around 725 AD. It is thought she was buried in Barking.

However, in 1833, an excavation at Hartlepool Abbey found human remains and Anglo-Saxon items. Some people thought they identified Hildelith among them, along with two other nuns from Barking Abbey. But more recent studies have shown that this identification was likely incorrect.

Images for kids

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  Ruins of Barking Abbey